San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-01-29
MISS BROWN.
By the author of ''Society's Verdict"
"M Mrr7irde," dc.

OF course 1t is to your interest to
leave them in obscurity," Aileen re-
marks, steadying her voice with a
great struggle.
"My INTEREST," Oh, don't carel Mr..
Bertrand would never hear their name
mentioned. What are they like, Miss
Brown They must be nice, or they
would not be friends Of yours"
"Oh, please smile curling her lips
don't take the trouble to pay me
compliments! But / may tell you that
your cousin Rowland is as proud and
noble as any Bertrand that ever lived"
sets the wind in that quarterp
thinks Dick dolefully. 'Of course she
is in love with him. What fury she is
inl" Aloud he says, Il haven't the
slightest doubt of it; but unfortunate
ly l cannot further his interests. My
grandfather would snap my head off If
only mentioned the name"
And doubtless, Mr.. PonsOnby, you
do not find it very arduous task to
keep it SILENT" and, with as much
dignity as she can muster, she rises
and leaves the room, furious with him,
hating him; and yet what pity it is
Dick Ponsonby is so nice-lookingl
For fortnight Miss Brown has been
head-nurse. She has taken the house,
hold by storm. Every one has fallen
in love with her, from Mr.. Bertrand
and the Doctor down to Dick Ponson-
by; and perhaps the last-named victim
has taken the complaint the most
seriously of all-all the more so be-
cause Miss Brown has never civil
word to spare for him. She is as cold
as ice, and very unkind to him, and al
ways talking of those Bertrands, for
ever landing that unknown Rowland
Bertrand
Dick hates him, and yet he begins to
think he is defrauding this young man
of his inheritance.
And how thoughtful and gentle
Aileen is with the old man-always so
bright, so pleasant, perfect nursel
One day Dick IS brought home in a
carriage, with very pale face and his
shoulder out, the result of an ugly fall
while hunting; and yet he is glad when
he sees Aileen'S sweet face pale sud
denly and for once her eyes look kind
ly on him.
"You must nurse me now," he says,
with smile, trying to bear the pain
bravely. Il want you more than the
old man."
So he does; and for the next few days
Aileen is gentleneSS itself, and does
not say one unkind word. She sits with
him, reads to him, and is very shy and
winning. Sometimes he thinks she is
looking sad; and then he gets angry,
and tells himself she is fretting for
that fellow Bertrand" And he sulks
even when Aileen is sitting at his side
cutting up his dinner Tor him, and
waiting on him as if he were baby.
you do all this only out of pity" he
says one day, looking into her face.
"What else should l do it for?" Aileen
retorts, with crimson cheeks, and
leaves him to himself.
In an hour she returns with great
mass of sweet wet Yiolets in her hands.
"For meP he asks, smiling.
"No-for Mr.. Bertrand" and she
buries her face in the blossoms.
well, you might give me some," he
persists, watching her settling her flow
ers in an old china bowl.
She leaves small bunch beside the
bowl, and he comes over and stands
beside her.
"Are those for me?"-"No; I am 60
ing to send them away by post"
"He draws back at once.
ATo that fellow Bertrand, pre-
sume?"
EYES," Aileen answers calmly, a
smile dancing in her eyes. "Poor Row.
lyl He might at least be spared few
flowers from the Court"
, Poor Rowly'l" cried Dick furiously;
and at this instant Mr.. Bertrand's
man Hartnell appears upon the scene,
treading noiselessly-so noiselessly that
both the young people start as his
voice breaks the silence.
Miss Brown, my master desires your
presence, if you please"
Il am coming" Aileen says, gather
ing up her flowers hastily, without one
glance at Dicks furiously angry face.
Hartnell looks furtively from one to
the other, and he takes in the situation;
then he steals away again.
Aileen, in her haste, has left the lit
tie bunch of violets on the table. Dick
takes them up, brushes them in his
hand, and pitches them into the fire.
"He shall never have them, at any
ratei" he thinks savagely, and, seizing
guide-book, begins to plan trip to
the other side of the world.
Very cautiously, and with much
quaking of heart, Aileen mentions the
names of his grandchildren to old Mr..
Bertrand, watching to see the effect of
her words. At first he gets angry. says
they are nothing to him, and changes
the subject; and Aileen waits patiently
for q better opportunity.
your grandson is very like YOU. sir, I"